Dana White 'Would Be Shocked If' Francis Ngannou Returned to UFC and Ngannou Reacts

The UFC lost out on a lucrative fight when former heavyweight champion Jon Jones retired without facing interim champion Tom Aspinall, but CEO Dana White doesn't sound very interested in bringing back another legendary heavyweight to fill the void.

After announcing the news of Jones' retirement during the UFC Baku post-fight press conference on Saturday, White was asked about the possibility of bringing former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou back to the promotion, and he shot down the idea.

"One thing I’ve learned over the years about Francis — Francis doesn’t always mean what he says publicly," White said, per Damon Martin of MMA Fighting. "What he says behind the scenes are different than what he says publicly. I’m not a big fan. I would be shocked if Francis ever came back here on lots of different levels. I’m not a fan and he doesn’t always mean what he says publicly."

Ngannou, who is currently under contract with the PFL, responded to White's comments on social media and indicated that the feeling is mutual:

White's negative assessment of Ngannou should come as no surprise following "The Predator's" controversial departure from the UFC. Ngannou defended his heavyweight title against Ciryl Gane in the last fight on his contract in January 2022, but he was out of action for the next year after suffering a knee injury. The two sides failed to reach an agreement on a new deal, which largely stemmed from the company's refusal to allow Ngannou to pursue a boxing career while still competing in MMA.

Ngannou ultimately signed with the PFL on a multi-fight deal that allowed him to pursue his boxing endeavors. He fought then-heavyweight champion Tyson Fury to a close decision loss before getting knocked out by Anthony Joshua. He returned to MMA and won the inaugural PFL Super Fights Heavyweight Championship with a first-round knockout against Renan Ferreira last October.

Without Jones or Ngannou available, UFC fans will certainly be anxious to see what's next for Aspinall after he was elevated from his interim status to undisputed heavyweight champion.